1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge-lock security system. The hinge-lock security system finds particular utility in providing supplemental protection against unwanted entry or exit through doors.
2. Description of Related Information
Rising fear and frustration associated with epidemic crime, including gang, juvenile and drug-related crime, have become an all-too familiar staple of modern life. And an ever-increasing public awareness of the high incidence of property theft and violent crime committed in homes and businesses has contributed to an unanswered need for sensible, economical devices to improve safety and security.
In the past, property owners and tenants wishing to secure their premises from unwanted access through hinged doors typically relied on deadbolts or door-handle devices to secure the door edge opposite the hinges. The hinge side of the door was held in place by the hinge, the hinge pin, and the hinge's supporting screws.
With a deadbolt system, an engaged deadbolt is disposed inside and in between the door and the door frame, thereby resisting intrusive forces directed against the outside of the door. However, if the deadbolt is disengaged, malfunctioning, or otherwise compromised, the hinge will rotate freely allowing the door to open. Even if the deadbolt is properly engaged, an intruder who has entered through a window may typically open a door from the inside without disturbing the deadbolt by removing the hinge pins and urging the door out of its frame.
A hinge lock adds to the integrity of a conventional door-security system by preventing rotation of the door about its hinges in the event the primary deadbolt is challenged or compromised.
Ideally, a hinge lock is compatible with hinges whose leaves are concealed when the door is shut since these unexposed hinge configurations are often desirable for aesthetic purposes. Many hinge locks employed in the past were incompatible with unexposed hinges. In addition, hinge locks employed in the past suffered from low resistance to intrusive force, were difficult to install or operate, and were cumbersome, complicated, expensive or unattractive.
A need exists, therefore, for an attractive, simple, high-strength hinge-lock security system that operates with unexposed hinges and that is easy to install. A need also exists for a system that prevents an intruder from opening a locked door by removing the door's hinge pins. The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide these advantages.